One of the only indoor tennis centers on the Island will be changing hands after nearly 30 years in business.
Developer Jefrey DuBard is in the process of buying Airport Fitness, the racquet sport hub and gym that has been in the West Tisbury airport business park since 1996, longtime owner Connie McHugh recently told members.
In a letter Tuesday, Ms. McHugh wrote that the gym received permission from the Martha’s Vineyard Airport Commission to transfer the ownership to Mr. DuBard’s Airport Road Collaborative, LLC. The West Tisbury zoning board is scheduled to consider the transfer on Oct. 5, before the sale is closed.
The tennis pro assured her members that, under the new leadership, the facility will remain the way it is and she plans to still be around.
“The club will continue to operate as it is with no change of use,” Ms. McHugh wrote to members. “All of the staff will continue in their roles. You will be in capable hands. I look forward to being a member of the club.”
Ms. McHugh told the Gazette she sent the letter this week to members to tamp down any rumors that had been swirling during the bureaucratic process. She also declined to name the sale price.
The airport commission voted in August to transfer Ms. McHugh’s 18-year lease on the airport land to Mr. DuBard’s company. The transfer was approved on the condition that Mr. DuBard register his LLC with the state, that Ms. McHugh provide financial records and that a door that was not in compliance with a fire code be fixed.
The agenda for that meeting included a request to use the property as a possible facility for the storage and assembly of panelized house sections. Officials clarified that the airport ommission was not taking up that issue now — only the lease was being acted on — though it could at some point in the future.
Airport Fitness is one of two indoor tennis facilities on the Island and has become popular with pickleballers in recent years. In 2022, Ms. McHugh was named pickleball professional of the year by the U.S. Professional Tennis Association New England for her efforts in teaching the game.
In an interview with the Gazette this summer, Mr. DuBard said he plans to uphold the gym’s legacy as a place where Islanders can find health and community.
“Connie’s energy is really special, as is her love for what she does and what she’s been able to create there,” Mr. DuBard said. “Her commitment is infectious and that’s the most vital element of success. I plan to keep Connie as involved as possible for how long she’s willing.”
Riis Williams and Thomas Humphrey contributed to this story.
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